Heat ventilation apparatus

ABSTRACT

An exemplary heat ventilation apparatus includes a server system having servers, a temperature sensor, a blower unit and a controlling unit electrically connected to the temperature sensor and the blower unit. The temperature sensor is mounted on the server system for sensing a temperature of an interior of the server system. The blower unit is adapted for drawing hot air from the server system to warm buildings. The controlling unit outputs different signals to turn on or turn off the blower unit according to different temperatures of the interior of the server system.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to heat ventilation apparatuses, and moreparticularly to a heat ventilation apparatus utilizing exhaust heat ofservers.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally, a plurality of servers is densely mounted in a server cabinetto form a data center. Each of the servers typically includes at least apower supply device, a motherboard, a hard disk drive, and an opticaldisk drive, all of which can generate considerable heat duringoperation. The heat of the servers is generally dissipated to theambient by heat dissipation devices, such as cooling fans. The directdischarge of so much heat to the ambient may be considered as wastingenergy.

What is needed, therefore, is a means for better dealing with heat ofservers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing shows a heat ventilation apparatus in accordance with anembodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawing, a heat ventilation apparatus 10 in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment is shown. The heat ventilation apparatus 10includes a server system 12, an exhaust system 14, and a cooling system16.

The server system 12 can be a container data center, which generallyincludes a plurality of servers densely mounted in a standard container.Each of the servers includes at least a power supply, a motherboard, anda plurality of hard disks, all of which can generate considerable heatduring operation. The cooling system 16 is adapted for dissipating theheat of the servers of the server system 12. The heat ventilationapparatus 10 is adapted for supplying the heat of the servers tobuildings 20, such as offices, housings, etc., which need to be warmed.Thereby, the heat of the servers of the server system 12 can berecycled.

The cooling system 16 includes a sensing unit 160, a control unit 162, afan unit 164, a desiccant unit 166 and an air filter 168. The controlunit 162 is electronically connected to the sensing unit 160 and the fanunit 164. The desiccant unit 166 is coupled to an air outlet of the fanunit 164. The air filter 168 is arranged between the desiccant unit 166and the server system 12, with an inlet of the air filter 168 coupled tothe desiccant unit 166, and an outlet of the air filter 168 coupled tothe server system 12.

The sensing unit 160 of the cooling system 16 is adapted for measuringtemperatures of an exterior and an interior of the server system 12. Thecontrol unit 162 outputs different signals to turn the fan unit 164 onor off according to measurement results. More specifically, when thetemperature of the interior of the server system 12 exceeds that of theexterior by a predetermined value, such as 5° C., the control unit 162outputs a signal to start the fan unit 164. Thus cooling air is drawninto the server system 12 from the ambient. When the temperature of theinterior of the server system 12 equals or is less than that of theexterior, which means that the interior of the server system 12 is cool,the control unit 162 outputs a signal to turn off the fan unit 164, thusconserving energy.

When the fan unit 164 starts, cooling air is drawn from the ambient toflow through the desiccant unit 166 and the air filter 168 in turn, andfinally to the server system 12 to exchange heat with the servers. Whenthe cooling air flows through the desiccant unit 166, moisture in thecooling air is removed; and when the cooling air flows through the airfilter 168, dust in the cooling air is removed. Thus, the cooling airentering the server system 12 is clean and dry.

The exhaust system 14 includes a temperature sensor 140, a controllingunit 142, a blower unit 144, and an air purifier 146. The controllingunit 142 is electrically connected to the temperature sensor 140 and theblower unit 144. The air purifier 146 has an inlet coupled to an airoutlet of the blower unit 144, and an outlet connected to the buildings20. It should be understood that conduits for conducting hot air can beprovided between the air purifier 146 and the buildings 20, particularlywhen the buildings 20 are far from the server system 12.

The temperature sensor 140 of the exhaust system 14 is mounted on theserver system 12 to detect the temperature of the interior of the serversystem 12. The controlling unit 142 outputs different signals to turnthe blower unit 144 on and off according to different temperatures ofthe interior of the server system 12. A predetermined thresholdtemperature (hereinafter, “blower threshold temperature”) can be set inthe controlling unit 142, such as 40° C., 45° C., 60° C., etc.

When the temperature of the interior of the server system 12 is lowerthan the blower threshold temperature, which means that the interior ofthe server system 12 is not hot, the controlling unit 142 outputs asignal to turn off the blower unit 144. Conversely, when the temperatureof the interior of the server system 12 reaches or exceeds the blowerthreshold temperature, i.e., the interior of the server system 12 ishot, the controlling unit 142 outputs a signal to turn on the blowerunit 144, thereby drawing hot air from the server system 12 and acrossthe air purifier 146. Accordingly, dust and moisture are removed fromthe hot air, and purified hot air is supplied to warm the buildings 20.

In summary, during operation of the servers of the server system 12,heat is generated, and accordingly, the temperature of the interior ofthe server system 12 increases. When the temperature of the interior ofthe server system 12 exceeds that of the exterior by a predeterminedthreshold value (herein, “fan threshold value”), the fan unit 164 startsand draws cooling air into the server system 12 to exchange heat withthe servers. Thus, a safe working temperature of the servers ismaintained. When the temperature of the interior of the server system 12increases to the blower threshold temperature, the blower unit 144 drawsout hot air from the server system 12 to warm the buildings 20. Thus,the exhaust heat of the servers is reused.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of certain embodiments have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad generalmeaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

1. A heat ventilation apparatus, comprising: a temperature sensor forsensing a temperature of an interior of a server system; a blower unitadapted for drawing hot air from the server system to warm a desiredlocation; and a controlling unit electrically connected to thetemperature sensor and the blower unit, the controlling unit beingcapable of outputting different signals to turn on or turn off theblower unit according to different temperatures of the interior of theserver system.
 2. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising an air purifier for purifying the hot air, an inlet of theair purifier being coupled to an air outlet of the blower unit.
 3. Theheat ventilation apparatus of claim 1, wherein a blower thresholdtemperature is set in the controlling unit, when the temperature of theinterior of the system exceeds that of the predetermined temperature,the blower unit turns on to draw the hot air, and when the temperatureof the interior of the system is less than that of the predeterminedtemperature, the blower unit turns off.
 4. A heat ventilation apparatus,comprising: a server system comprising a plurality of servers; atemperature sensor mounted on the server system for sensing atemperature of an interior of the server system; a blower unit adaptedfor drawing hot air from the server system to warm a desired location;and a controlling unit electrically connected to the temperature sensorand the blower unit, the controlling unit being capable of outputtingdifferent signals to turn on or turn off the blower unit according todifferent temperatures of the interior of the server system.
 5. The heatventilation apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an air purifier forpurifying the hot air, an inlet of the air purifier being coupled to anair outlet of the blower unit.
 6. The heat ventilation apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein a blower threshold temperature is set in thecontrolling unit, when the temperature of the interior of the systemexceeds that of the predetermined temperature, the blower unit turns onto draw the hot air, and when the temperature of the interior of thesystem is less than that of the predetermined temperature, the blowerunit turns off.
 7. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 4, whereinthe server system is a container data center.
 8. A heat ventilationapparatus, comprising: a server system comprising a plurality ofservers; a fan unit for drawing cooling air from the ambient to exchangeheat with the server system; and a blower unit for drawing hot air fromthe server system to warm a desired location.
 9. The heat ventilationapparatus of claim 8, wherein the server system is a container datacenter.
 10. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 8, furthercomprising a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of an interiorof the server system and a controlling unit electrically connected tothe temperature sensor, the controlling unit being capable of outputtingdifferent signals to turn on or turn off the blower unit according todifferent temperatures of the interior of the server system.
 11. Theheat ventilation apparatus of claim 10, wherein a blower thresholdtemperature is set in the controlling unit, when the temperature of theinterior of the system exceeds that of the predetermined temperature,the blower unit turns on to draw the hot air, and when the temperatureof the interior of the system is less than that of the predeterminedtemperature, the blower unit turns off.
 12. The heat ventilationapparatus of claim 11, further comprising an air purifier for purifyingthe hot air, an inlet of the air purifier being coupled to an air outletof the blower unit.
 13. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 8,further comprising a sensing unit mounted on the server system and acontrol unit electrically connected to the sensing unit, the sensingunit being adapted for sensing temperatures of an interior and anexterior of the server system, the control unit being capable ofoutputting different signals to turn on or turn off the fan unitaccording to different comparison results of the temperatures of theinterior and exterior.
 14. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 8,further comprising a desiccant unit coupled to an air outlet of the fanunit.
 15. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 14, further comprisingan air filter, an inlet of the air filter being coupled to the desiccantunit, and an outlet of the air filter being coupled to the serversystem.
 16. The heat ventilation apparatus of claim 8, furthercomprising an air filter connected between the fan unit and the serversystem.